Madison County, IL Animal Ordinances: Pet Groomer Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning status
- Special use, § 93.023(D)(17), Agricultural District only
- Approval body
- Zoning Board of Appeals + County Board vote
- Application
- 4 copies, graphic + written description, § 93.162
- Hearing
- Public hearing in property's township, § 93.178(B)
- Protest threshold
- 20% of adjoining frontage triggers 3/4 vote
- Penalty
- $10-$500 per day, § 93.999
Summary
In unincorporated Madison County, kennels, pet grooming and pet training operations are a special use in the Agricultural District under Zoning Code § 93.023(D)(17), not a use allowed by right. Operators need County Board approval following a Zoning Board of Appeals hearing before opening.
(D) A Special uses. (See §§ 93.162, 93.178) ... (17) Kennels, pet grooming, and pet training.
Full Breakdown
Madison County's zoning code treats commercial pet care as a land-use question rather than a licensing one. 178 for the approval procedure. 162, submitting four copies of a graphic and written description of the proposal, including site photographs, existing topography, building locations and off-street parking plans. 178 then routes the application to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a public hearing in the township where the property sits, or at the County Administration Building in Edwardsville for general amendments. The Board of Appeals must issue a written finding of fact and recommendation before the County Board can act.
The County Board approves a special use permit by majority vote, except where a written protest is filed by owners of 20% or more of the adjoining or opposite frontage, or a variation fails Board of Appeals approval, in which case three-fourths of the County Board must vote in favor. Because kennels and pet grooming appear only in the Agricultural District's special-use list, opening one on land zoned Conservation or Residential falls outside what the county's use tables allow without a rezoning; operators inside Edwardsville, Alton, Collinsville, Granite City or another municipality answer to that city's own zoning code instead.
Violations & Fines
Operating a kennel, pet-grooming shop or pet-training business without the required special use permit is a zoning violation under § 93.999: fines run $10 to $500, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate offense, and the county or an affected neighbor may sue in Circuit Court to stop the unpermitted use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I open a dog grooming business on my Madison County property?
What's the approval process for a kennel special use permit?
Does this apply inside Alton or Edwardsville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison County
Compare Madison County to another location·View the Illinois animal ordinances overview
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